Don't ask, don't tell

Don't ask, don't tell was the official United States policy on military service by gays, bisexuals, and lesbians from 28 February 1994 to 20 September 2011, implemented under President Bill Clinton and repealed under the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010. The policy was implemented via a Department of Defense directive, and it prohibited discrimination against closeted gays (including sexual orientation tests) - the "don't ask" part, while it also barred gays and lesbians from serving openly, the "don't tell" part. The law was meant to protect gay people from harassment as long as they did not discuss their homosexuality or be open about it, and many people were fired for being openly gay. This led to a 2010 act that repealed the oppressive rule.